With rapidity and stealth, the diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) ideology has come to replace the classical liberal values of merit, excellence, and intelligence (MEI). The time for a national debate over the conflicting values of DEI and MEI is long overdue in the academy, professional organizations, media, government and large technology companies. Just as Alabama segregationist governor George Wallace never debated Martin Luther King, DEI backers with institutional power show no enthusiasm for defending their ideas in real debates which begs the question. Why?